Landscape (in the Barbizon district?) 1849 - 1853

Lorenz Frølich made this landscape, likely in the Barbizon district, using oil on canvas. Frølich, a Danish artist, lived most of his life in Copenhagen during a period of intense nationalism. The Barbizon school, active from about 1830-1870, emphasized painting en plein air – directly from nature. It was a shift away from the formal academic painting that was popular in Europe. What did it mean to represent nature at a time of rapid industrialization? How did artists position themselves in this changing landscape? This black and white image captures the raw texture of the buildings and the land. The path seems well-worn, suggesting human intervention, which is subtly in tension with the wildness of the landscape. There's a palpable sense of solitude here; it prompts one to contemplate their relationship with the environment.